The Lantern

11/06/2024

Why is Helen's Bridge in Asheville, NC haunted? Who is Helen? The Lantern is here to talk about the horrifying tale.

The horrifying story of Helen and the bridge that was named after her.Full video: https://youtu.be/X3coWbR-bUU?si=ccu7qX0SlXjebDkK Patreon: https://www.patre...

11/05/2024

The Haunted State Park in Georgia with A Dark History

Haunted State parks are in my top three destinations to visit, just behind ghostly roads and bridges, because they remain undisturbed and free of development. I have no clue why some states, like South Carolina, refuse to honor and protect these legend & lore sites with markers. Hopefully, one day, we will see them before development takes over.

But this story is actually out of Georgia. Magnolia Springs State Park at 1053 Magnolia Springs Road in Millen was once home to Camp Lawton, a prison camp that housed over 10,000 soldiers.

According to Jim Miles in his Haunted Central Georgia book, almost 1,000 died on these grounds. The Southern Spirit Guide puts that number a little lower at 500. But we do know that a lot of soldiers met their demise here during the Civil War while housed at the Confederate-run camp.

Cabin 5 is reportedly one of the most haunted, with people seeing a light through the wall, but when they open the door, there won’t be a light on. (Haunted Central Georgia).

According to the Southern Spirit Guide, employees have reported spirits in the park, with one manager of the park reported being awakened by a uniformed apparition standing at the end of his bed. Another staff member approached the cabin and saw a face peering out one of the windows when it was empty. Staff members have also reported a feeling of being watched and followed.

According to Jim Miles in his book, an old maintenance road runs through the woods that once served as the road the prisoners came in on from the railroad at Lawton Station, and at night, you can hear singing that resembles African-American spirituals that move down the road.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Sources: The Southern Spirit Guide. Haunted Central Georgia, Jim Miles
Image Credit: Georgia State Parks

11/05/2024

The Bell Witch

Some legends are in a league of their own, and the Bell Witch is one of them. Perhaps this tale would even be on my Mount Rushmore, but I will save that for another day.

In the early 1800s, John Bell moved from North Carolina to Tennessee with his wife, Lucy, settling on a farm in Red River, now known as Adams. Over the next few years, the family welcomed three children to the family and grew the farm to 328 acres.

In 1817, Bell was walking through his field with a gun in hand when he noticed a strange creature with the body of a dog and the head of a rabbit. He fired at the beast, which abruptly disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Later that evening, the Bell family began hearing noises outside of their log cabin, with the supernatural activity escalating over the next several weeks. Bell was alarmed, but when the spirit started attacking family members, like pinching and slapping his wife and kicking and pulling the hair of other family members, John Bell confided in a neighbor, who in turn told several more neighbors of the strange happenings.

When the neighbors began investigating, the vengeful spirit became vocal and identified itself as the witch of Kate Batts, a neighbor who Bell had angered when he purchased slaves for his farm.

The spirit began quoting scripture, singing hymns, and talking to Bell every day. Finally, in December of 1820, Bell died of a strange sickness. Even in death, the Bell Witch tormented the family even during the funeral by laughing, cursing, and singing.

In 1821, the Bell Witch told Lucy Bell that she would return in seven years, and she delivered on her promise. The witch returned in 1827 and had a long conversation with John Bell Jr on several topics. The entity reportedly stayed for three weeks, bidding the younger Bell a farewell, but vowed to return in 107 years.

Today, the legend lives on over 200 years later, near the Kentucky state line in Adams, Tennessee.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Alan Brown, Unexplained South
Image Credit: Larry Mccormack/ Tennessean

11/04/2024

The Olde Pink House Has An Alleged Drinking Revolutionary War Soldier

The Olde Pink House in Savannah, Georgia, is filled with history. It survived the War of 1812, the great Savannah Fire of 1820, and the Civil War, when one of Sherman’s generals, General York, used it as his headquarters. After the Civil War, the Olde Pink House was used as a lawyer’s office, a bookstore, a colonial tearoom, and now serves as a restaurant.

According to Alan Brown in his Georgia Legends & Lore book, patrons have claimed to see a Revolutionary War soldier sitting at the bar, drinking a round. Some claim the soldier made a toast with them and vanished into thin air. CHEERS!

The ghosts of slave children have been spotted inside playing tricks. Some believe the spirits are from the yellow fever pandemic or possibly died in the fire in 1820.

Weeping is heard inside, and the most famous ghost that is said to haunt this building is James Habersham Jr., who died of natural causes within the house. Another legend says he committed the unthinkable in the basement.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Georgia Legends & Lore
Image Credit: Visit Savannah

11/04/2024

Is Civil War Treasure Buried in Georgia

If you have followed The Lantern for an extended time, you know that we have covered many of these stories in the past, except this one.

According to Alan Brown, in his Georgia Legends & Lore book, on page 11, he pens a short chapter on the missing treasure. The issue is not as clear-cut as some would like to believe because of the different variations in the story.

One account says the missing treasure was being hauled from Richmond to Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens’s relatives in South Georgia following Jefferson Davis’s capture in early May 1865. The wagon train reached the fork of Okapilco and Mule Creeks when either a band of Native Americans or Union soldiers killed the soldiers guarding the gold and made off with it.

The other tale posted on Valdostatoday.com says a group of soldiers transported a chest of gold by wagon from South Carolina to Vicksburg and buried the cargo near the forks of Okapilco and Mule Creeks in Brooks County.

Many Civil War artifacts have been discovered here, leading to the belief that a lost treasure is not far behind.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: GovMint

11/04/2024

The Blue Lady of Hagan’s Mountain

Hagan’s Mountain in Thomaston, Georgia, in Upson County, is said to be home to a ghost called the Blue Lady. Jim Miles covered the story in his Haunted Central Georgia book and even references an eBook, The Blue Lady of Ada’hi.

The Hagan family owned much of this property for generations, with the land rising over 1,200 feet over the Georgia landscape.

But some ghostly stories seem to grab our attention more than others, especially when they are shrouded in mystery, with an actual haunting attached, that reads like a real-life horror movie.

According to Miles, a family purchased approximately 30 acres of timberland on the side of the mountain, hoping to trade in the hustle and bustle lifestyle for the fresh air of country living. The husband, Lee, worked tirelessly clearing the land until one day, he saw what appeared to be a woman standing almost behind a tree, wearing a blue-tattered dress, watching him work. When he acknowledged her from the distance, she walked behind a tree. The man went to work, thinking it was his wife being playful. After some time, Lee glanced up and saw the woman again behind a different tree. He went to work again. Finally, Lee glanced up, only to find the mysterious woman much closer, waving for him to come closer. Fearing the woman may need help, he approached her, and she disappeared.

Over time, more strange happenings occurred, prompting the family to install a security light in the bend of the road. The couple moved a mobile home to the property and would spend weekends here. One evening, Lee felt the presence of something and could see an object and a foggy mist in the bend of the road.

Over time, more things began happening, like a baby crying in the distance. Many believe the woman that is said to haunt this area was the young wife of a Hagan relative, who met an untimely demise.

According to the book, the Blue Lady is a well-known ghost story, but other tales I read online suggest the entire place has something more dark and sinister in play.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Jim Miles, Haunted Central Georgia
Image: Unsplash

11/04/2024

Cry Baby Road in Bamberg: Don’t Scream in Silence

One road in Bamberg, South Carolina, has earned quite a reputation for being haunted. The story is a familiar one, but this place seems different from all the others, except for the Anderson and Newberry bridges.

It is eerie at night, but the locals know to avoid it. Like other bridges we have written about, we had to research this location, as much is unknown. But those are the best-kept ghost stories.

People have described hearing a baby cry late at night. Some have commented online that they would never venture here again. A YouTube video posted online shows a group searching for the trapped souls that now call this place home.

Whatever awaits travelers on this stretch of low country road is enough to make people scream in silence from fear.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.

11/04/2024

Watch here! Episode 5- Haunted Bridges of North Carolina

Meet the two scream queens of the afterlife tied to NC bridges people drive under daily. What happens when you stop under them at night?Patreon: https://www....

11/03/2024

Episode #5 is up now on YouTube. Go to the comments to watch.

11/03/2024

The 1946 Greenville Ideal Laundry Explosion: S.C. Haunted History

On November 19, 1946, one of the worst accidents occurred in the history of South Carolina, which left four to six people deceased with another hundred to hundred fifty injured.

Around 6:00 PM, 3,500 gallons of propane exploded at Ideal Laundry and Cleaners in Greenville. The blast was felt as far away as Gaffney on that autumn evening.

Before the accident, Ideal Laundry was at the corner of Buncombe and Echols Streets on the northern side of Greenville. The source, propane, was recently switched from coal when a leak in the tank was detected. E.R. Haynie, the manager of the facility, ordered the building evacuated.

Minutes after the leak was detected, the propane leaked into the basement where the boilers sat, igniting the gas.

According to online reports, the explosion destroyed twenty structures and severely damaged fifty other buildings.

Today, the lot is home to a Starbucks. But, seventy-eight years ago, the explosion here would forever pen a chapter in South Carolina’s Haunted History.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image By: John G. Clark Jr.

11/03/2024

The Ghost of Annie

The Old Nazareth Cemetery in Pinopolis, South Carolina is rumored to be haunted. For our readers, who may not be familiar with this unincorporated community, it is in Berkeley County, in the lower part of the state, approximately 21.5 miles from Summerville.

According to Sherman Carmichael in his Mysterious South Carolina book, the cemetery may be home to a headless woman named Annie, who lost her life at the hands of her drunken husband.

Legend says Annie was the victim of an abusive man, who showed up at the home one night in a state of uncontrolled alcohol-fueled anger. The man reportedly cut her head off after he accused the woman of being unfaithful, and hid her head.
Annie was laid to rest in this cemetery. At night, Headless Annie roams the grounds searching for her missing head.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr
Source: Mysterious South Carolina, Sherman Carmichael, Page 46.
alcohol-fueled

11/02/2024

The South Carolina Ghost Town That Never Died

We love to talk history on The Lantern. It is one of the niche markets that we cover. Early last year, we began to write about ghost towns across the state. The topic resonated with many followers, and since Halloween just ended, we felt now was a good time to write a new history article.

Glendale is a small community in Spartanburg County. While several may have traveled through it, many may not be aware that the almost ghost town of today was not always this way.

Once, this bedroom community had a population of almost a thousand residents who called it home. Like other towns in South Carolina, King Cotton was the driving force here that provided good jobs (By the standards of the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s). Glendale Mills was considered one of the most important mills in the state, known as Bivingsville Mill after Dr. James Bivings at that time.

But, like the other countless stories we have written, the good times did not last because of World War I, the Great Depression, and finally, World War II, which saw many textile mills close. But Glendale Mills managed to hold on for a few more years before finally closing its doors in 1961.

On March 21, 2004, the mill burned, and all that remains from this once thriving community are films about ghosts of what could have been.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image Credit: Glendalesc.com (Picture of the mill- 1910)

11/02/2024

Don’t forget to checkout episode 4 of The Lantern podcast.

Welcome to the dark side of the Holy City, where just underneath the streets lie bodies unbeknownst to the tourists. The dead in Charleston range from pirate...

11/02/2024

At The Lantern, we tell the tales of haunted history, paranormal and the unexplained, small towns, road trips, true crime, folklore and much more.

I’m currently finishing my book, South Carolina Haunted History: “Tales From The Script”, which will be out soon. If you’re a business, nonprofit, etc, and would like to carry it on your shelves, please DM us.

As always, thank you for your support. Please follow our podcast (cohosted with Twisted Todd and Izzy) and continue inviting your family and friends to our page.

John G. Clark Jr.

11/01/2024

Izzy dropped a haunted doll off in this South Carolina city. Check it out below

The following is a true ghost story from our upcoming episode. Enjoy!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LanternMGSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...

11/01/2024

Haunted Airport High School: Another Brick in the Wall

One school in West Columbia, South Carolina, is rumored to be haunted by a former employee. It is believed the ghost that roams the halls is George Pair, who was the first principal at the school from 1958 until 1962, the same year he died. Students and staff have claimed to experience unexplained activity, doors closing, banging against lockers, and footsteps. The incidents were more common at night when students and staff would attend school events.

(Disclaimer) The school is private property. You must have permission to explore. Our articles are informative reads. It is your responsibility to check and obey all laws.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr
Image: John G. Clark Jr

10/31/2024

The Flying Creature of Pickens County: NEW

This story is new to us, but according to author Sherman Carmichael, a road in Pickens County may be home to a mysterious flying creature. On pages 84 and 85 in Strange South Carolina, a witness states he was driving down this road around 7:30 p.m. during winter when he saw a large creature flying towards his car with leathery wings resembling a bat. The winged creature was as wide as the windshield, roughly the size of a small human, with a triangular-shaped head and orange-reddish eyes.

According to Carmichael, there was another sighting about a year later at the same location on Grove Road. The first witness’s brother also reported seeing the creature while walking to his house in the backyard.

We have covered many strange occurrences around the Carolinas and several cryptids, but this is the first from the Upstate area.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Strange South Carolina, Sherman Carmichael.

10/31/2024

The Devil is Looking for a Soul to Steal at this North Carolina Paranormal Hot Spot

Ten miles south of Siler City in western Chatham County, North Carolina is a 40-foot clearing that forms a perfect circle. Why? Nobody knows. But inside this circle, life refuses to grow, leaving nothing but what appears to be evidence of a bonfire that went bad.

The spot sits ironically on a road named after it, Devil's Tramping Ground Road. Many rumors circulate of what trampled the earth bare. Some believe a dark supernatural energy is at play, especially when items are left placed in the circle at night and mysteriously moved or gone in the morning.

Some say the devil is responsible for the circle - that he stomps the grounds at night, contemplating what evil action to perform next. And if not Satan, perhaps witches? After all, the legend dates to the 1600s.

For a more scientific explanation, studies have been conducted on the landmark by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, showing an unusually high salt content, proving that the tramping ground is sterile.

Stories of Native American tribes once occupying the space continue to take off. One theory is the natives that owned the land had a sacred space they would hold ceremonial dances inside of, forming the perfect circle we see today. Another theory is that the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island is tied to the land because their tribal chief is buried there.

While we may never know who named the circle or why it continues to grab our imaginations, the Devil's Tramping Ground is one spot that will forever live on in the pages of North Carolina folklore.

Written By: Israel Petty

10/31/2024

We at The Lantern would like to wish you a Happy Halloween

10/31/2024

Moon River Brewing in Savannah: Haunted History

Moon River Brewing Company may be officially closed now, but what lurks behind the doors and walls of this old building in Savannah, Georgia, is still walking among the living from beyond the grave.

The building opened in 1821 as a hotel serving the rich and famous, who flocked here to see the beautiful city. While the hotel may have closed in 1864, it was used as a hospital many times and reportedly housed yellow fever victims.

In 1832, a doctor by the name of Dr. Philip Minus shot a drunk man in this building when it was a hotel that had a reputation in the community for insulting people.

No wonder this historic building is one of the most haunted in America, with reports the basement and the top floor of this building are where the most activity occurs.

The spirits are known not to be friendly, as they have reportedly thrown beer bottles and tormented the former staff. Another story says construction workers were working on the building left after becoming so frightened after the foreman’s wife was pushed down the stairs. They ran from the property, leaving their tools behind.

Moon River Brewing Company has appeared on several television shows, including Ghost Adventures, in the past.

The building is forever a part of Georgia’s Haunted History.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: Tripadvisor

10/31/2024

This North Georgia Town and Bridge is said to be Cursed: Season of the WITCH

Northern Georgia is a beautiful place with panoramic views. Many areas offer visitors vacation opportunities with plenty of activities and relaxation. One small town is the storybook definition of Southern charm. Unfortunately, not all things that glitter are gold.

A sign sits anchored in the ground in Euharlee in southwestern Bartow County, Georgia, giving the history of the Euharlee Creek Covered Bridge. The sign is in rough shape but reinforced on all sides. You turn your car stereo’s volume to zero and begin to drive through, quickly noticing how closed this giant rectangle is.

Just as you drive to the halfway mark of the bridge, you hear it. Groaning. What is that sound? The sound is coming from under the bridge! You begin to speed the rest of the way, leaving the bridge and sound behind in a hurry.

Many have heard this sound and experienced the paranormal hotspot firsthand. Legend says the bridge is very active with spirits that haunt Euharlee.

The small town doesn’t even have its own post office. The two nearest towns are Taylorsville and Cartersville, and both have a post office and everything else that a regular-sized city comes with.

There are multiple legends in Euharlee, one of which involves a curse!

Allegedly, a witch traveled through the area many years ago, searching for a safe place for the night, and met with hostility from the locals. The witch cursed the community well and the people of this town.

The groaning from under the bridge, though? That would belong to the dead woman swinging from the rafters just above the waters below. Legend has it that she was abducted, assaulted, and left to hang under the bridge.

Written By: Israel Petty

10/31/2024

Are the Grounds of This Historic South Carolina Church Haunted by TWO Ghosts

Church of the Holy Cross is a beautiful, historic church in Sumter County, near the Ellison Plantation, in a small community called Stateburg. It was the home church of William Ellison, whose family had a pew on the first floor, and it’s the final resting place of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who we will cover in a future article.

The present-day building stands on the site of the old Claremont Church of 1788, built on land given by General Thomas Sumter. The cornerstone of the church was laid on September 11, 1850. With so much history tied to one place, it is only fitting to be the home to a couple of ghosts.

Some believe a Confederate Soldier who met an untimely death walks the cemetery and disappears before being approached. Another story says the apparition of a ghostly woman can be seen sitting in a low-lying tree with her legs crossed.
Church of the Holy Cross is a Must-Visit in this region of South Carolina. Who knows, you may encounter a ghost or two.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Images: John G and Izzy.

(Disclaimer) Ghost stories are meant to be fun. All paranormal articles are based on alleged information from online sources.

10/31/2024

The Headless Horseman of Fenwick Hall

John Fenwick’s son, Edward Sr., was raised with strong ideals, and he inherited both the plantation and the 11,000 acres of property in Johns Island, South Carolina, in 1747.

Edward was also known for breeding horses and even built a racetrack on the property. He had a daughter named Ann, who grew up riding horses. Her father had gifted Ann with a black stallion that she eventually used to go riding alongside an Irishman named Tony. They soon fell in love.

Ann wanted her father’s approval of her soon-to-be husband, but Edward Sr. refused, making it clear Tony was not good enough for her since he was a stable boy. In an act of rebellion, she rode off with Tony, consummating their relationship and secretly marrying without her father’s knowledge or his blessing.

When Edward found his daughter with Tony, he devised the perfect punishment and plan. He decided to have the young man cleverly hanged by Ann. Edward Fenwick tied a rope around Tony’s neck while facing backward on a horse. Her father forced Ann to strike the horse on its rump, killing Tony in the process.

The rope decapitated Tony. After the ex*****on, witnesses began spotting a headless horseman riding through the Fenwick Plantation at night – something that people claim to see today. Guests at Fenwick Hall have also reported hearing footsteps and cries from Ann.

Written By: Izzy

10/31/2024

Enjoy The Lantern's sneak peak from episode #5 - Happy Halloween!

The following is a true ghost story from our upcoming episode. Enjoy!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LanternMGSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...

10/31/2024

The Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker is said to Haunt this Great Falls, South Carolina Bridge

Great Falls, South Carolina, is a small community in Chester County. Recently, a new whitewater park opened along the banks of the Catawba River at the base of the Nitrolee Dam. At one time, Great Falls was a booming little textile town that afforded locals and others from nearby areas employment opportunities. For some mill workers, this meant crossing the bridge from Lancaster into Great Falls. Unfortunately, many accidents occurred along this stretch of road.

One story dates back to the 1950s when a local mill employee at Republic Mill number two left work after her shift en route back to her home. A little after midnight, she became sleepy, and her car crossed the center line, hitting a logging truck head-on. The blunt force was so severe that it knocked the car over the guardrail into the river below, killing the young woman instantly. Several months after the accident, a woman fitting the description of the deceased started flagging down trucks that were crossing the bridge. The truck drivers reported that she would run out in front of them on the narrow two-lane bridge when it was raining or foggy. She would appear out of nowhere when their truck lights hit the bridge.
The best time to see the Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker is on rainy and foggy nights.

Some believe her spirit still lives on in the afterlife on the new bridge.

Written By: John G Clark Jr